DisplayNameTaken
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Posts posted by DisplayNameTaken
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Hi all
My wife and I sent off our I-130 to the Embassy today for the spouse visa :D. As she's resident in the UK we're able to take advantage of the DCF which is a gem (having gambled and lost with a fiancé visa and having to treat Uncle Sam to another $530 for the pleasure!).
Just wondering if anyone's been through DCF in London recently, particularly with the new Embassy having been opened? We've noticed the processing times for the I-130 have gone up from 2 months to just over 3 months since I've begun keeping an eye on it in spring, so any indication about the time to actually get the visa would be great. Ideally we'd like to move early next year, right in the midst of a Midwest winter..
Also, apart from get the police certificate, is there anything we can do whilst we wait to maybe shave off a few days once we know we can prep for the interview?
Thank you all!
Chris
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Thank you so much everyone for your input; it certainly has provided an awful lot of clarity. Thinking about our options we have decided that a ceremony without the actual marriage would be disappointing anyway and something we'd love to avoid. With the risks involved it probably would be jolly stressful anyway. (However, please note I would never try and lie or deceive American officials - this would end badly at some point in our future!).
Ideally, we'd love to have our NAO2 early May (at the latest!) and marry on the K1 at the end of July. That way we can marry officially in the US and stay there - me not being able to work or travel for however many months isn't a problem. If we haven't got the NOA2 by May, then it'd be time to withdraw the application. We'd then marry officially in the US as planned with me entering via the VWP, return to the UK (obviously with proof we intend to do so!) and file for a spouse visa through the US Embassy in London using my fiancée's UK residency. It may mean we've wasted some money but hey! we just want to start a life in the US as soon as we can, and who can put a dollar tag on such things!
Fingers crossed for next Christmas in the US as a married couple!
Again, thank you everyone.
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9 minutes ago, missileman said:
What if they ask? Are you going to lie about it?
No way! Trying to deceive them would never work well I'm sure. I think I'd just be honest and say we went through the motions but nothing legal was undertaken.
This is all food for thought, thanks all.
If we married properly in the US (me on a VWP with a return ticket
), how long will it take if we apply via the Embassy in London to get a visa through the DCF?
(PS - Yes I know it says about not planning anything! We changed some plans and were hoping for the best. As my fiance has permanent residency in the UK it's not like we've ever been apart and she's always had the option of returning).
(PPS - We're usually good planners and can sort our lives out pretty well. This is a hiccup for us..)
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Thanks for the replies all (little bit less thanks for the judging, however!). We appreciate the timings were always going to be a bit touch and go! The decision to move was taken after we'd begun planning etc and knew it was a gamble. We've committed (and guests too) too much to pull out of the original date now.
I didn't realise you could be 'too married' for a K1 without it being official. I, obviously naively, assumed you were either married or not.. So even without the signed marriage license, confirmation from the church that there was no marriage, communications beforehand arranging the change etc it wouldn't be acceptable? Also, how would the CO know what I'd done in the US before the interview! (I don't mean to imply I'd try and pull the wool over their eyes - that, I'm sure, would end terribly!).
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Hello visa people!
Long time lurker, first time poster.. (First off - thanks so much for the advice you've unwittingly been giving me. Much appreciated!)
Long story short, my fiance and I are living in the UK (she's American and I'm British) and will be (hopefully..) marrying in the end of July with the intention of upping sticks and moving to the US at that time. So, in an ideal world the K1 would be approved by then. We submitted the I-295f in November and received our NAO1 on 30th November. Naively, we thought that was plenty of time (and when we looked into getting the visa when we got engaged in 2016, it was!) but my VJ timeline suggests the NAO2 should be ready around mid-June. As I have a one-way ticket booked for 22nd July I have a horrible feeling the K1 will not be ready by mid-July at the latest and that one way needs to be upgraded to a depressing return.
We can't reschedule the wedding as it's all paid for and friends and family have booked flights and accommodation for the US. So, I have a horrible feeling I'm going to have to go to the US with an ESTA, go through the motions of the wedding but without the actual marriage . I guess one massive relationship celebration day. I'd then return to the UK, get the K1 and go back to the US to enter on the visa and have a small ceremony to officially get married. (Or perhaps I'll go to Vegas and dress as Elvis to do it). I know it was daft to leave the visa so late and a gamble booking everything.
Should this be the case, how long can I pause my visa application? If we get the NOA2 end of June and letter from the Embassy at the end of the July but I'm in the States then for a couple of months celebrating not getting married, can I pick up the process later on in the Autumn? Or if they don't hear from me in a certain time will it be assumed that I no longer want to get the visa?
Hope this makes sense. Thanks everyone!
Medical and Interview Experience - London
in US Embassy and Consulate Discussion
Posted
(First caveat - apologies if this is in the wrong place...)
Read a few experiences on here before I went which were helpful, so thought I'd give back by posting my own! Have applied for a CR1 using DCF. Initial application sent off end of August, visa approved beginning of December. Looking at the timescales on the US Embassy website it appears they're processing them even faster.
Medical - Knightsbridge
Phoned relatively early November for the appointment and was offered one in just over a couple of weeks' time. Was hoping for one sooner but as you need to get your past medical history from your GP and in some cases a letter from them too, that took some time to arrange anyway. Had an early appointment was the waiting room was quite empty when I arrived. Gave my questionnaire, photos, driving license, police certificate etc to the (very friendly!) receptionist who reciprocated by giving me a pot for a urine sample and a new questionnaire. Very similar to the one I'd already filled in, but much more detail. Nothing exciting or scandalous in my history so didn't take much consideration. Returned the forms but kept my pot (I had mistakenly had an ill-judged pee before I arrived so needed a bit of time until I could squeeze the lemon). Sat and waited for a bit (around 10 mins) and was called through to the doctor. She went over my medical history with me and the answers I'd given. I was worried this would be an interrogation with her pen hovering above the 'applicant appears to be lying' box but (unsurprisingly..) it was fine - really just a chat! After that I was asked to go behind a curtain and put on a fetching gown. Did the eye test, blood sample, the say 'ahh', blood pressure, listening to heart, temperature and some other miscellaneous poking and prodding. And that was that bit done! She said there was nothing to worry about and that people like me were low risk anyway.
Then I had the x ray - this took all of about 3 minutes. Stood in a room with another friendly lady, adopted the peculiar pose and then stole a look at my innards when it appeared on the screen. After another short wait I went through to the vaccination room with (yet another!) very friendly woman. She was keen to put me at ease and chatted generally. I needed a tetanus boost (as my last one was over 10 years ago) and a flu jab. You could go back to your GP to get them free and then they fax the results over, but as this puts everything on hold and it's another headache to organise I opted to get them done there. Didn't feel the needles go in at all. I was given an updated vaccination record and then told (after putting my shirt back on for the 3rd time that morning) to go back to the waiting room. Used this time to do the urine sample and then sat back, pleased it was all done. Was called back up to pay and have all my documents back, and told if I don't hear anything within a few days everything was fine and the results would go to the Embassy in around a week.
Overall, a fine (albeit pricey..) experience. I was nervous (like many others!) but there is no need to be. Whilst they were thorough, they didn't have a 'wanting to catch you out' attitude or look for excuses to fail you. Everyone was friendly and although it's never fun getting half-naked in front of a stranger, they do this day in day out.
Interview - Embassy
Had booked my appointment online after my medical (end of November) but was slightly taken aback when it said there wasn't anything available until early January. Kept my eye on availability and an appointment appeared for early December. Counting my lucky stars that I live in London and could go quickly, I gathered all the documents and went to get the photos. I took with me;
Also took some proof of relationship (just in case) but they didn't ask. Arrived about 30 minutes before my time and joined the line outside. The people in the tent check your passport and confirmation and then it's through to security. (Note - if the door appears locked, it is. Don't embarrass yourself by fighting with it.. They'll open it when they're ready for you..). Had a bag with me, bottle of water, newspaper and that was all fine. Had to sip my water in front of them but they let me in with it.
Then another line in the main Embassy building. Because I was applying for an immigrant visa the tent lady told me (for some reason) to go straight to the front of the queue and say I'm there for an immigrant visa. I couldn't bring myself jump the line so I just joined the back. Anyway, they called up people with early appointments first. Was given a sticker with my number and directed up the lift. I think most people there were students or visitors: the window I was told to wait near was round the back in a section with not many people, but all with 'I' numbers. Sat for about 15 minutes before being called to the first window. Gave a friendly American guy by documents and copies and fingerprints. He said they hadn't received the medical yet (it'd been 6 working days) but he'd look at the post for that day. All my stuff was in order so he gave me a ticket to take to the cashier to pay before I see the CO. Did this using my UK debit card, but it does take the dollars so there will be a small charge.
Sat for a bit longer (another 30 mins or so) and then my number was called. This bit is quite a bit public - you can't help but overhear other people's interviews. Everyone was approved however, although some people with previous marriages, few meetings with their beloved, previous immigration history etc did get a bit more questioning. When I was summoned I raised my right hand and confirmed I was an honest and upstanding gent (not quite in those words). He asked where I'd met my wife, what our plan was in the US, where she is now and that was it! The whole interview couldn't have lasted more than 3 or 4 minutes max. Was told it the passport with the visa would arrive in around a week (once they've got the medical) and that my green card will turn up in the post about 8 weeks after I arrive in the US. I was in and our the Embassy in around an hour.
Overall conclusion of interview: significant anti-climax. A handshake or fireworks would be nice, or be met by a choir singing Star Spangled Banner as you leave the Embassy felt appropriate, but alas just a friendly goodbye. Have been emailed confirmation that my visa is on the way and should arrive tomorrow - about 7 working days since the interview. Like the medical, the interview is nothing to worry about.
Best tip for the whole process? Be thorough! I hate form filling but if you get it right first time it doesn't delay the process, it's reasonably straightforward (even if it does try your patience at times!) and it's worth it in the end!
See you in the States.